field.It doesnt necessarily stay the sa

STORRS, Conn. -- Geno Auriemma expected his young team to go through growing pains early in the season as they adjusted to life without the Huskies Big Three.So far theyve grown up pretty quickly.Freshman Crystal Dangerfield scored 19 points, Katie Lou Samuelson added 16 and No. 3 UConn extended its winning streak to 77 games with a 72-61 victory over second-ranked Baylor on Thursday night.I think we grew up a lot, Auriemma said . Came of age so to speak. That doesnt mean were older enough to not grow some more.The streak is the second longest in womens college basketball history, standing 13 short of the school record set by the Huskies from 2008-10. With stars Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck and Moriah Jefferson gone to the WNBA, Auriemma wasnt sure what to expect from his team early.So far hes been impressed after victories over No. 12 Florida State and now Baylor.What I saw today was surprising, the Hall of Fame coach said.With the game tied at 54 early in the fourth quarter, UConn took over. The Huskies scored 16 of the next 18 points to put the game away. Dangerfield, a diminutive guard, made a spectacular layup with 4:03 left that brought the near sellout crowd to its feet and made it 62-56. Baylor (2-1) couldnt recover.I wont disappear in big games, Dangerfield said. I want to attack. I want to be in those situations. I feel like I have the experience to do it, so Ill be there.Unlike during the 75 games leading into this season where the Huskies (2-0) won every game by double digits and most were decided by halftime, this seasons squad has had to pull out its first two wins in the final quarter.We can fight. We can push back. I think we kind of showed the rest of the country, like OK, its not going to be as easy as you think it is to beat UConn this year, Gabby Williams said.Trailing 40-38 midway through the third quarter, UConn scored 12 of the next 13 points to open up the lead. Kia Nurse got the run started with a jumper and Dangerfield capped it with a 3-pointer.Baylor wouldnt go away, going on a 12-2 run to tie the game at 54 early in the fourth quarter. Alexis Jones, who led the Lady Bears with 23 points, keyed the spurt.UConn contained 6-foot-7 Baylor sophomore Kalani Brown. She had 25 points and 19 rebounds in a win over No. 9 UCLA on Monday. She had just nine points and five rebounds against the Huskies as she was saddled by foul trouble.I thought we faced a lot of adversity tonight, Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. Calls, momentum. We hung in there even through mistakes. We got to crunch time and we had wasted possessions. Those things have to be fixed and they will.BIG PICTURE:Baylor: The Lady Bears were trying to get a measure of revenge, as the Huskies ended their 69-game home winning streak on Jan. 13, 2014. That was the last meeting between the teams until Thursday. ... Preseason All-America Nina Davis was scoreless in 24 minutes.UConn: Two games in and the Huskies have already played two of the top 12 teams in the country. Before the regular season is finished, UConn will have played six of the other top eight teams in the poll. Its the first time the Huskies have opened the season with two ranked opponents since 1998-99. They played three consecutive ranked teams (Duke, Arkansas and UCLA) that season. ... The Huskies have won 50 straight home games. ... The UConn Huskies unveiled their championship banner from last season before the game.POLL IMPLICATIONS:UConn should move up at least one spot in the poll while Baylor will drop at least one place.SERIES HISTORY:These teams played five times between 2010 and 2014 -- the only meetings between the storied programs until Thursday night.UP NEXT:Baylor: After playing back-to-back top 10 teams, the Lady Bears return home to face Mississippi Valley State on Sunday. Baylor has only played top 10 teams in the first three games of the season one other time, in 2012. The Lady Bears split those games, beating Kentucky and losing to Stanford.UConn: The Huskies travel to LSU to face the Tigers on Sunday.---Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinbergDavid Justice Jersey Braves . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. 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Ron Cey Jersey Cubs .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach.SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Not even in grade school, Tom Brady cried from his seat at The Stick when Dwight Clark made The Catch.The New England quarterback had so counted on playing at Candlestick Park in 2008, his first NFL game back home in the Bay Area against the 49ers team he watched Joe Montana lead when Brady was a boy.Then, a season-ending knee injury spoiled his plans. He cant quite believe it took until age 39 and his 17th NFL season to finally get a shot on San Franciscos home field.I had everything arranged and set up before the season for my family and friends, and then I got hurt, Brady said. So it is (shocking), it is. It will be a lot of fun. Ive got a lot of people coming to the game and it will just be a great environment.This could perhaps be the only time Brady gets the opportunity, and he should feel pretty confident about his chances of winning with the AFC East-leading Patriots (7-2). The New England quarterback might have to change teams to visit Levis Stadium again after Sundays matchup with the Niners (1-8), losers of eight straight since a season-opening win against the Rams.He was there when Clark leaped high and pulled down the Montana touchdown pass that helped send San Francisco to its first Super Bowl after the 1981 season.I was, I think 4 years old and my parents brought me. I cried -- I wanted one of those foam fingers and I cried the entire first half, Brady recalled. Finally, my dad bought me one to shut me up for the second half. I think I have a picture of it.It was just a great. I remember we were on the opposite side of the stadium, and I started crying when everyone jumped up and screamed at the end when Dwight made the catch. I still have those memories.San Francisco went to New England in 2004 and again in 2012 to win 41-34 during the 49ers Super Bowl season.It was a great feeling to go up there, get that victory, especially against a team like that, quarterback Colin Kaepernick said. It was huge and it was another confidence builder for our team.Here are some things to watch for Sunday:BETHEAS FIRST PICK: San Francisco safety Antoine Betheas first career interception is still plenty fresh 10 years later. He has the ball at home in a case.It came with the Colts against Brady, in Foxborough, on Nov. 5, 2006, the first of three career picks he has of Brady passes.Its definitely something I remember, out there in Foxborough, BBethea said.dddddddddddd Of course Im always going to remember that, especially because it comes on a top-caliber quarterback.HOT TICKET: Brady, who grew up in nearby San Mateo, has arranged countless tickets for Sunday -- more than ever.I may never get the opportunity again, so its nice to have all the support, and Ive had a lot from the Bay Area over the years, Brady said. My high school, my elementary school, and I still have so many friends from growing up, and coaches, my family, my aunts and uncles, cousins. It will just be a lot of fun to be out there.KAEPERNICK IMPROVES: After failing to complete even half of his passes in each of his first two starts, Kaepernick has been much sharper the past two weeks after the bye.Healthy again after three surgeries, and promoted in favor of Blaine Gabbert last month, he is completing 59 percent of his passes for 304 yards, three touchdowns, one interception and a 96.8 passer rating.ROOKIE WOES: Patriots rookie defensive back Cyrus Jones returned last week against Seattle after being a healthy scratch for three straight games following his ejection during New Englands win at Cleveland on Oct. 9. During an up-and-down first year, he also has struggled to find consistency as a kick returner.Jones performance will determine how much he is on the field.It doesnt necessarily stay the same, Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. It hopefully gets better, but we just have to evaluate those performing opportunities.LEWIS RETURNS?: Pats running back Dion Lewis was taken off injured reserve last week, but was inactive against Seattle. He has made progress since returning to practice, but the Patriots are unlikely to rush him.New England is getting great production out of LeGarrette Blount, who leads the league with 12 touchdowns rushing. James White has also been a solid pass catching option out of the backfield, hauling 33 receptions for 290 yards and three touchdowns.I think any time a player is coming back from missing a significant amount of time, theres a certain buildup process, Belichick said of Lewis. Its hard to predict how thats going to go.---AP Sports Writer Kyle Hightower in Boston contributed to this report.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '